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Poland softball team has big-game credentials
Locals set for regional tournament in Illinois
By Tom Williams
POLAND
Nothing beats big-game experience, even when unusual suspects possess it.
Poland’s latest state champion softball team has six players who participated in the Little League (ages 11-12) Central regional last summer. They’re the youngest members of this year’s 13-14 Poland softball team that will represent Ohio in the Junior League Central regional this weekend in South Holland, Ill.
Last year, Poland’s 11-12 team finished tied for third place in the Little League regional tournament in Indianapolis. Six of those players (Brooke Bobbey, Camryn Lattanzio, Jackie Grisdale, Lexi Diaz, Rachel Wolfe and Adeline Schweers) are making their second straight regional appearance after Monday’s 12-2 win over Rock Hill in the state championship game.
The biggest difference this year is the health of Bobbey, the team’s pitcher. A year ago whole practicing for the regional, Bobbey broke the middle finger on her pitching hand.
“We went to the hospital and a they put a big [splint] on it,” the 13-year-old recalled. “I couldn’t pitch with that so we went to a hand specialist and they gave me a little splint.”
She pitched, but wasn’t pain-free.
“I just had to suck it up and pitch,” Bobbey said. “It was weird.”
Her dad, Matt, is Poland’s head coach.
“We weren’t at full strength [last summer], but she was pretty much able to pitch like normal,” Matt Bobbey said. “She just powered through it and we got lucky on how it affected her.
“But it was a challenge.”
Bobbey said he believes this year’s team “is an even stronger group. We’ve got some big bats in the middle of the lineup.”
The 14-year-olds are Lauren Sienkiewicz, Ally Nittoli, Caroline Aey, Carley Francis and Hannah Dinard.
In Monday’s win, Sienkiewicz homered and doubled in the third spot and Nittoli had three hits batting cleanup.
They are ready to learn from their younger teammates.
“It’s just going to be fun playing with them because they already know what they are going to be [experiencing] and they can help us out along the way,” Nittoli said.
Sienkiewicz said it didn’t take long for the two age groups to blend.
“We’ve bonded,” the shortstop said. “We work together really well and we practiced really hard.”
It doesn’t hurt that they live in a town with plenty of softball success. Six years ago, Poland’s 11-12 team won the regional and played in the Little League World Series in Portland, Ore.
Poland High School recently produced three Division I softball players: Erin Gabriel (Tennessee), Jenna Modic (Pittsburgh) and Taylor Miokovic (Eastern Illinois). They’ve been role models to the younger players following in their footsteps.
“Last week, Erin Gabriel helped us [with] techniques and Jenna Modic stops by,” Sienkiewicz said. “They are a big inspiration. We have a lot of role models to look up to.”
Other states sending teams to the tournament in the Chicago suburb are Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin.
For Nittoli, the trip will be a bit of family reunion.
“I have relatives who live about 40 minutes away,” Nittoli said. “They’re excited.”
So is her head coach.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Matt Bobbey said. “[They do] these tournaments right and to these girls it will be special, something they will remember for the rest of their lives.”